One out of nine Indonesian adolescents are sexually active. But as Lies Marcoes writes, lack of knowledge and limited access to contraception among Indonesian adolescents is contributing to growing rates of underage marriages and unwanted pregnancies.

In our final post for 2016, we send off this rather depressing year by taking a look back at some of the expert commentary and analysis published on Indonesia at Melbourne. Thanks again for your loyal readership and support, and we look forward to seeing you again in mid-January.

Rising incomes and easy access to credit have resulted in huge growth in the number of motorcycles on Indonesian roads. But poor attention to and enforcement of road laws has also seen a spike in traffic fatalities. The World Health Organisation estimates that more than 100 people die on Indonesian roads every day. Dr Tim Brickell examines this growing and largely preventable problem.

Indonesian smokers were worked up last month over rumours that the price of cigarettes would soon rise to Rp 50,000 (AU$5). As Dr Krisna Hort explains, the rumours originated from an article that showed that doubling the price of cigarettes would increase tax revenues to a level that could cover the current deficit in the national health insurance scheme (JKN).

What are the drivers and impacts of high smoking prevalence in Indonesia? What steps could the government take to control tobacco, and what arguments are made within Indonesia for and against these measures? Dr Dave McRae discusses these issues and more with Abdillah Ahsan, from the University of Indonesia, in the latest Talking Indonesia podcast.

In 2014, Indonesia launched its comprehensive national health care scheme, the JKN. What impact has it had during its first two years of operations? What policy challenges is the government facing? Dr Dave McRae discusses these issues and more with Professor Hasbullah Thabrany and Professor Laksono Trisnantoro in the latest Talking Indonesia podcast.

National health laws and health promotion discourse in Indonesia are heavily geared toward the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life. But as Belinda Raintung explains, maternity leave provisions have not kept pace, placing significant burdens on mothers.

Infertility is a major problem in Indonesia and this is reflected in the rapidly growing numbers of Indonesians presenting to infertility clinics. But as Dr Linda Rae Bennett writes, doctors’ assumptions about sexual morality are having a significant impact on the quality of care women experience.

What mental health issues does Indonesia face, and are the drivers similar to other countries? What treatment options are available, and does stigma affect access to treatment? Dr Dave McRae explores these issues with Dr Diana Setiyawati, the director of the Centre for Public Mental Health at Gadjah Mada University, in the latest Talking Indonesia podcast.

Cervical cancer is the second most frequent cancer among Indonesian women but low cost cervical cancer screening is only available in eight of Indonesia’s 34 provinces. Dr Linda Rae Bennett reports on a new collaboration that hopes to lay the groundwork for developing a free vaccination program for human papillomavirus, an established cause of cervical cancer.

The recent death of a 27-year-old from laryngeal cancer has highlighted the problem of youth smoking in Indonesia. As Ayu Swandewi writes, the government has much work to do to address the aggressive targeting of young people by tobacco companies.